Italy's Monti says "astonished" by foreign minister resignation

ROME (Reuters) - Italian caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Tuesday that Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi had not informed him of his plan to resign, and that he would address parliament on the return of the marines to India to face trial on Wednesday.

Monti said he was "astonished" by Terzi's decision to step down because the two met earlier on Tuesday and Terzi did not tell him he would resign.

Terzi announced his resignation during testimony to the lower house of parliament, saying that he disagreed with the Monti government's decision to send the marines back to India on Friday to face a murder trial.